Various wireless communications systems use OFDM symbols to communicate information. It is convenient to construct and operate such a system utilizing a uniform OFDM symbol structure, e.g., same tone spacing, the same set of contiguous tones, and same symbol duration, irrespective of the type of information being communicated. However, a one size OFDM symbol implementation is not necessarily the best approach from an efficiency standpoint. Different types of information and/or different situations can be better suited to be communicated using different types of characteristic OFDM symbols. It would be advantageous if methods and apparatus were developed which utilized different types of characteristic OFDM symbols at different times to better suit the type of information being communicated and/or situational needs. Methods and apparatus that allowed a wireless communications device to limit transmission time and/or be more informed of interference would also be beneficial.